Big Money. Small Change. Marketing Ideas for Small Business

Starry Starry Grape (roll eyes)

My Niece LOVES the American Girl Doll Store. If you’ve never been… wow, it’s a marketing experience times 1,000. I mean if you can create a doll and charge to pierce it’s ears and on top of that create a hospital that you send your doll to for repairs that’s some seriously creative marketing! I visited the store in Orlando on January 2nd. That’s similar to the sun exploding at the same time all fireworks in the universe go off. Why? It’s a brand new store and they have a special welcome gift for all visitors on the first and second of January. It’s not often you have lines of people waiting outside your store so when looking to create loyal fans, it’s time to check this place out.

Flash ahead to yesterday. My American Girl Doll Store Magazine arrived. I honestly don’t know how I got on the list, I’m pretty sure I didn’t give them my address… although my niece is pretty sneaky, and may have signed me up. Anyway, I was flipping through the endless combinations of clothes and adventures these dolls find themselves in and happened across the tear out… which I tore out.

Just when I’ve seen it all… I shrugged, then put my marketing cap on and decided, wow, this is brilliant! They don’t just have an option to gift wrap. But you can choose the color of the gift wrap. Let’s be honest, would it really matter to the child receiving the gift if the present was Red, Pink or Purple. Wait! I mean Starry Starry Grape, Special Day, or Very Berry. However, when I thought about it, the girl receiving the doll (if she’s like my niece) has already picked out the doll, outfit, etc… so the only thing the gift-giver gets to pick out IS the wrapping paper. But a more important thing happens with offering a choice of gift wrapping paper, and that is out of the three options you’re sure to find one you like. Leave it to only one option and well, you may lose an important add-on.

I applaud the three choices and encourage you to think of this in terms of your business. Is there somewhere you can expand from one choice to three OR possibly create an add-on by offering a new set of choices?